Combination Brassiere and Tank Top

ABSTRACT

The inventions relate to a garment that combines a foam cup, underwire bra combined with a tank top overlay made of a spandex blend or lace fabric for the tank top. The bra function is provided by underwires and specially formed foam cups for support and shaping of the breasts. The tank top portion of the garment is attached to one of the shoulder straps which are diagonally fixed to the tank top portion of the garment. The tank top portion of the invention is attached from each side as well as the bottom of the garment, in a unique “turn-under” sewing technique. A lace or combination spandex mix fabric attaches from the outside of the cups to the lace band at the back of the garment. This garment is used under low cut dresses and blouses, to cover cleavage and décolletage, which is an employment standard for many companies.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority from, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 29/300,471, and U.S. Ser. No. 12/498,136,filed on Jul. 6, 2009, the contents of both of which are incorporatedherein in their entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a foam cup, underwire bra with one to threeshoulder straps, the foam cups and underwires provide support and liftfor small to very large breast, providing full coverage of the nipple.The overlay, tank top portion of the garment, covers the cups to providethe appearance of a bra with a tank top overtop.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The bra, the foam cup bra, the underwire bra and the tank top eachindividually are well known articles in the garment industry. Eacharticle on its own provides a specific duty. A soft bra made only withfabric, is designed to gently support the breasts. An underwire fabricbra, provides more support than a regular fabric bra. A foam cupunderwire bra, provides a solution for better support, and shaping ofthe breast. Each type of bra, provides a totally different result and ispurchased by women with different needs.

The tank top does not provide any support, lift or coverage of thebreasts, and does not provide shaping of the breast. The tank top isdesigned to often be worn over a bra, as a garment to be worn on itsown, or under another article of clothing. The combination of the tanktop over foam cups, supported by underwires is unique to this invention.It is very different from a soft cup bra with a lace overlay. The foamcup, underwire bra of this invention is designed to support, shape andlift the breast, while providing full coverage of the nipple.

SUMMARY

The invention is directed to a foam cup, underwire bra with a tank topattached, which allows women to wear one undergarment rather than twogarments under low cut dresses and blouses.

The invention includes foam cups which are designed to support anduplift the breast, giving shape to the breast, while providing fullcoverage of the nipple area. The foam cups are specifically shaped andangled to support the breast in an angle to uplift the breasts in anatural form. The shoulder straps are sewn directly into the foam cups,which seamlessly anchors the Shoulder straps to the cups. The cups arethen covered by the Lycra blend fabric that has been bubble molded toshape over the foam cups.

The invention includes underwires which are attached to the base of thefoam cups to further support the breast and foam cups.

Covering the foam cups, the underwires, the cleavage and décolletage isa Lycra blend fabric, which looks like a tank top. This fabric isattached from the outside of each foam cup, attached at the bottom underthe underwires in a unique “turn under” sewing technique.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of the interior of the tank bra.

FIG. 2 is a view of the front of the tank bra.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The foam cup, underwire bra with tank top addresses a technical problemfelt by women. The inventor has recognized that there is a need for sucha garment that provides the lift, support, shaping and coverage, whichis provided by a foam cup, underwire bra, along with the coverage of thecleavage and lower décolletage as provided by a tank top.

The foam cup, underwire bra of the invention is worn to provide lift andsupport and a specific shaping of the breast as well as coverage of thenipple. Most recently tank tops rather than camisoles have been used to“layer” to provide the coverage required of the cleavage and chest, butthey ride up on the body, creating lumps and bumps of the fabric, andcreate additional heat because of the additional layer of clothing.However, both make the wearer uncomfortable and hot.

The foam, cup, under wire bra with attached tank top addresses therequirement women have for wearing additional layers of clothing, a braplus a tank top, under low cut garments, especially in the hot spring,summer and fall months, when an extra layer of clothing only adds toheat and discomfort. Additionally menopausal women and women who heat upeasily will appreciate the elimination of an additional layer ofclothing under dresses and blouses. The designers of clothing arecontinuing to design dresses, blouses and tops with plunging necklinesDeep V-necks have become the norm in fashion, low cut garments for womenare completely inappropriate attire for career women and women insituations that require coverage of the cleavage.

Presently, many items in a women's wardrobe are virtually useless,except for an evening out on the town. This invention is designed toaddress this problem, allowing women to maximize their wardrobes andwear these articles without an addition tank top over the bra. Theadditional layer of clothing, as in “tank tops” adds an additionallayer, making women feel heavier and hot. The addition of a tank topunder a dress, rides up, creating bumps and bulges, which onlyexasperates the problem.

As shown in FIG. 1 (Interior View) the garment of the present inventionincludes a foam cup underwire bra with a tank top overlay over the frontof the bra. The front panel, location 7 provides full coverage on thefront portion from one side across to the other side of the bra portion.The tank top portion, location 7 a extends from side to side as well asfrom below the underwires, location 2 with a unique “turn over” design,up to the portion where the shoulder straps start, location 4, providingcoverage of part of the décolletage and all of the cleavage.

The said garment may be made with one, two or three shoulder straps asshown in figure one, location 4. These straps are separate andpositioned on an angle for full support using narrow straps. Thesestraps are attached to the back portion of the shoulder strap, location3 and are made of fabric with or without stretch or a combination ofboth. The back portion of the shoulder strap, location 3, is attached atthe back to an adjustable elastic strap, location 3 a (FIG. 2), that isattached by a slider, location 9; this adjustable elastic strap isadjustable using sliders, location 8 (FIG. 2).

The center shoulder strap, for the garment with three shoulder straps,location 4 a in FIG. 1, or the shoulder strap, for the garment with oneshoulder strap, at the front of the garment, becomes the bindingmaterial that holds together the frame of the garment. The otherremaining shoulder straps, location 4, are attached internally to thefoam cups, location 1 (FIG. 2).

The foam cups, location 1 may or may not provide an insert for a foam orgel insert to provide extra fullness to make the breasts appear larger.Underwires made of flexible material, location 2, are held in place bybinding material, location 4 a. The tank top portion of this garment isattached from the middle strap, location 4 a, held together by bindingmaterial. The fabric is bubble molded over the cups, location 1 of FIG.2 and sewn beneath the underwires, location 2. The tank top portion ofthe garment is made of a LYCRA® (spandex) blend fabric, location 7 a,FIG. 2. The tank top portion of the garment is attached on both sides tolace or LYCRA® (spandex) blend band, location 5, FIG. 2, which is a 3-4inch lace band, location 5, FIG. 2. The LYCRA® (spandex) or lace band,location 5, FIG. 2, is attached to a fastener or closure comprising ofhook and eye to securely fasten the garment, location 6, FIG. 2.

EXAMPLE OF INTENDED USE

The intended use of this invention is to be worn under a wrap styledress, which has a very low cut plunging neckline. Typically the user ofthis style of clothing would be required to wear a full support bra,with a tank top over the bra to cover the excessive low cut of the brawhich exposes all of the wearer's cleavage and décolletage. This type ofdress although a great career dress with the appropriate undergarment,is not useable for work or situations that require coverage of cleavage,

The foam cup underwire bra, with built in tank top, provides a solutionas it provides a seamless, well formed undergarment, that does notcreate additional heat, bumps or bulges nor is there any material to“ride up” causing the unsightly bulges which result from wearing a fulltank top under a dress.

1. A bra comprising: a foam cup portion having a pair of foam cups and apair of surfaces, an inside surface configured to fit over the breastsand an outside surface on the opposite side of the foam cup portion, thepair of foam cups being positioned at an upper direction to define adécolletage region between the two cups and at a lower direction todefine a lower exposed region between lower portions of the two cups; atank top portion positioned against the outside surface of the foam cupportion and extending above and below the foam cup portions to cover apart of the décolletage region, all of the cleavage and a part of thelower exposed region; a pair of band portions with each band portionextending away from the foam cup portion and terminating in an endhaving attachment means to attach to the attachment means of the otherband portion; and a pair of shoulder straps having a front portion and aback portion, the front portion having a first end and a second end, thefirst end being attached to one of the foam cups or tank top portion andthe second end being attached to the back portion of the shoulder strap,the back portion of the shoulder strap having a first end and a secondend, the first end being attached to the second end of the front portionof the shoulder strap and the second end of the back portion beingattached to the band portion.
 2. The bra of claim 1, wherein the foamcups define a base region having a contour and wherein the base regionis underwired to follow the contour.
 3. The bra of claim 1, wherein thefoam cups have an insert for foam or gel.
 4. The bra of claim 2, whereinthe underwire is made up of a flexible material.
 5. The bra of claim 2,wherein the underwire is held in place by a binding material.
 6. The braof claim 1, wherein the foam cups are convex shaped and configured tosupport, uplift and give shape to the breast.
 7. The bra of claim 6,wherein the foam cups are specifically shaped and angled to support thebreast to uplift the breast in a natural form.
 8. The bra of claim 1,wherein the foam cups provides full coverage of the nipple area of thebreast of the wearer.
 9. The bra of claim 1, wherein the tank topportion comprises a LYCRA® (spandex) blend fabric.
 10. The bra of claim9, wherein the LYCRA® (spandex) blend fabric has been molded to shapeover the foam cups.
 11. The bra of claim 10, wherein opposite sides ofthe LYCRA® (spandex) blend fabric are attached to the band portions. 12.The bra of claim 11, wherein the bands are LYCRA® (spandex) blend bands.13. The bra of claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprise of a hookand an eye.
 14. The bra of claim 1, wherein the shoulder straps are sewndirectly into the foam cups to seamlessly anchor the shoulder straps tothe foam cup.
 15. The bra of claim 14, wherein the front portion of theshoulder straps includes one of one, two or three shoulder straps. 16.The bra of claim 15, wherein the back portion of the shoulder strap hasan adjustable length.
 17. The bra of claim 9, wherein the tank topfabric is attached to an outside surface of each foam cup and attachedto a bottom surface of the foam cups in a turn-under sewing technique.18. A method of wearing a low cut neckline dress without the need for anadditional covering undergarment, the method comprising providing a bracomprising: a foam cup portion having a pair of foam cups and a pair ofsurfaces, an inside surface, configured to fit over the breasts and anoutside surface, on the opposite side of the foam cup portion, the pairof foam cups being positioned at an upper direction to define adécolletage region between the two cups and at a lower direction todefine a lower exposed region between lower portions of the two cups; atank top portion positioned against the outside surface of the foam cupportion and extending above and below the foam cup portions to cover apart of the décolletage region, all of the cleavage and a part of thelower exposed region; a pair of band portions with each band portionextending away from the foam cup portion and terminating in an endhaving attachment means to attach to the attachment means of the otherband portion; and a pair of shoulder straps having a front portion and aback portion, the front portion having a first end and a second end, thefirst end being attached to one of the foam cups or tank top portion andthe second end being attached to the back portion of the shoulderstraps, the back portion of the shoulder strap having a first end and asecond end, the first end of the back portion being attached to thesecond end of the front portion of the shoulder strap and the second endof the back portion being attached to the band portion.
 19. The methodof claim 18, wherein the tank top portion is in lieu of wearing a tanktop.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the bra portion is in lieu ofwearing a separate brassiere.